Sunrise Express
by QueenBEWD
Summary: Birthday Prompt (requested by Zelenkaia) Years after they part ways, now in their early thirties, Yugi and Atem meet again unexpectedly on a train with a sleeper compartment…
1. Chapter 1

Tokyo station was busy and beautiful. The Saturday morning sun beaming through the sky lights in the ceiling. Business men and happy families were rushing through the station, each person trying to get to their gate in time before boarding.

Yugi yawned as he checked his watch. He sighed and adjusted the strap of his light blue duffle bag. His gate was full of people trying to get to the front of the line to board the train first.

He stayed seated and took out his phone, hoping to pass the time while he waited for the ten o'clock train. He rubbed the exhaustion out of his eyes as a voice over the intercom announced his train's arrival.

"_Now boarding Sunrise Seto/Sunrise Izumo at gate 31. Please have boarding pass and proper identification ready."_

Yugi stood and stretched with another yawn. He held his train ticket and ID in his hand as he got in line.

He normally didn't like traveling alone, but after his most recent session with his therapist, he thought some time away from his day to day stress would be a good thing.

He groaned internally as he was finally able to board the train.

Packed.

Even with the assigned seating, he didn't want to sit shoulder to shoulder with a complete stranger.

He felt his blood begin to boil when he looked above his seat and saw that all of the overhead compartments were full. He rolled his eyes and strolled through the train, walking through the different cars until he found an area with vending machines containing different snacks and drinks.

Yugi lost his footing as the train lurched forward and began to move in earnest. He bumped shoulders with another young man who was retrieving a small coffee from the machine next to him.

"Excus-" Yugi started, but his voice caught in his throat when a pair of dark crimson eyes met with his.

Atem gasped and smiled, "Yugi?! Oh my Gods!" He said throwing an arm around the shy male.

Yugi laughed nervously and returned the hug with a timid embrace. He couldn't mask his happiness as Atem gave him his most dazzling smile.

"It's so amazing to see you, _Aibou._" Atem said putting a firm hand on Yugi's arm.

Yugi's face turned beet red as electricity shot down his spine and landed in the pit of his stomach.

He gulped and tried his best to answer,

"It's really nice to see you too..._Pharaoh…_"

Atem suppressed and shiver at the old title. He couldn't believe he and Yugi were on the same train.

"Were you getting a drink?" Atem asked, hoping to be able to talk to his old friend for just a little longer.

Yugi nodded and rubbed at his arm.

"The train is so packed in the assigned seating area, plus there's no overhead space so...I guess I'm just wandering…" He said, putting his money in the machine and making his selection.

"Why don't you come join me in the lounge? All of the businessmen leave it empty because they're using their sleeping compartments." Atem said happily, taking a small sip of his coffee.

Yugi turned toward the now mature ex pharaoh. He wondered what kind of career Atem had that would get him access to the first class lounge area.

In any case, it was better than sitting armpit to armpit with some stranger.

"I would love that." He said with a smile.

Atem beamed and took Yugi by the hand, leading the shy male through the train and into the private lounge.

Atem gracefully sat in a small armchair and crossed his legs, gazing at Yugi through half lidded eyes.

"Please sit, Aibou. Where are you headed?" Atem asked, watching Yugi's every move as the shy male took a seat next to him.

Yugi put his bag down next to him and sighed,

"Hamanatsu. I needed a mini vacation. My therapist says I'm too wound up.." He said taking a sip of his aloe water.

Atem raised an eyebrow,

"Therapist?"

Yugi shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

"After grandpa died, things got difficult. It didn't help that everyone moved away…." He said looking out the large window at the beautiful scenery passing by.

Atem lowered his gaze. He remembered the day he got the call from Yugi about his grandfather taking a turn for the worst…

"You could have called me, you know I'm always here for you." Atem said in a calming voice.

Yugi shook his head and smiled,

"I didn't want to bother you. Besides, it looks like you've done well for yourself." He said, admiring Atem's dark burgundy three piece suit.

The gold buttons on the matching vest gleamed in the sunlight and the coordinating dark blue tie was shining against his white dress shirt.

Atem chuckled,

"Only on the outside. Mokuba's been working me to the bone. I'm meeting him and Kaiba in Okayama, apparently the investor didn't want to make the journey to Domino." He said unbuttoning his suit jacket.

Yugi had forgotten that Atem went into business with Kaiba. He remembered that when Mokuba became the president of Kaiba Corp U.S. he wanted a fresh new face for any and all marketing.

Atem was the face of the American branch of Kaiba's company.

"Why didn't you travel with the Kaiba's? I'm sure they would have loved to have you in their stretch limousine with a built in bar." Yugi said, trying his best not to sound bitter.

Atem gave Yugi a sad smile and put his hand on Yugi's knee,

"Aibou, they wanted you as well."

Yugi sighed and looked into Atem's crimson eyes, all of the painful memories returning at once.

"I had too much going on...and it wouldn't have made me happy." He said, adjusting his thin black choker.

Atem looked Yugi up and down, admiring that the shy male was still wearing his signature collar. His light blue button down was untucked and paired beautifully with thin white jeans and dark blue boots.

He studied Yugi's face carefully, noticing the dark circles and tired skin.

"Are you currently happy, Aibou?" Atem asked, scooting his chair closer.

Yugi's heart began to beat heavily in his chest the closer Atem moved. He became painfully aware of Atem's hand moving up his thigh.

"I, uh, um.." Yugi stuttered, trying to keep his wits about him as Atem's knee separated Yugi's legs.

"Aibou…" Atem's voice was low and almost a purr.

Yugi looked into Atem's eyes, their faces now inches from each other.

"Y-yes, Pharaoh?"

"I'd like to make you happy…" Atem hummed, leaning his face toward Yugi's.

Yugi let out a shuddering breath as Atem's hand began moving from his thigh to his waist.

"I-I would like that…" Yugi answered, his entire body growing hot.

Atem pulled away as he heard the sound of people approaching the lounge.

Yugi's breathing was heavy as he tried to will his arousal to go away.

"Let's go somewhere more private…" Atem purred, standing up from his chair and nonchalantly walking by the group of businessmen making their way into the lounge.

Yugi grabbed his bag and quickly caught up with Atem, following him through the train once more.

Atem stopped in front of Yugi and unlocked the door to a very compact sleeping compartment. The bunk beds were already hanging from the wall, the thick support strap of the top bunk taute.

As they entered, Yugi realized there was even less room with both of them in standing in the center.

Atem shut the door, the room becoming dark quickly.

Yugi dropped his bag on the floor as the train lurched to its first stop. He felt an arm around his waist and then warm soft lips on his neck.

He shivered as a hot tongue traced a line up his neck and to the back of his ear.

He moaned as the hand around his waist moved to his bulge, rubbing up and down slowly and teasingly.

"Oh God…" Yugi breathed, his body trembling from Atem's ministrations.

Atem smirked and nipped at Yugi's ear lobe,

"Do you like that, Aibou?" Atem murmured, unbuckling Yugi's belt.

Yugi responded with a whimper as Atem ground his erection against Yugi's.

Atem pulled Yugi's belt from the loops and raised the smaller male's hands over his head. He bound the shy male's wrists together and onto the thick strap supporting the top bunk.

Yugi's breathing was shallow and choppy. He felt the buttons of his shirt being undone at a slow pace. He gasped as his shirt was pulled open and Atem's tongue assaulted his nipples, biting and sucking on the sensitive nubs.

He moaned as Atem pinched one his nipples between his thumb and index finger, gently pulling on it to torture Yugi more.

The train started up once more, back on track for its journey through Japan.

Atem unzipped Yugi's jeans and pulled them off roughly, relishing the surprised gasped that came from the smaller male.

Yugi shivered as Atem traced small circles on his stomach with the tips of his fingers. He became nervous has he felt Atem's fingers hook into the band of his underwear.

Atem brushed his lips against Yugi's as he slowly shimmied the boxers down Yugi's legs, leaving the fabric to pool around his ankles. He bit Yugi's bottom lip as he wrapped his fingers around Yugi's throbbing member.

"Oh fuck.." Yugi moaned, his legs shaking as Atem began to move his hand up and down.

Yugi gasped and crowed, feeling his legs become weak. He moaned into Atem's mouth as the ex pharaoh kissed him passionately, pumping him even faster.

"Atem...please.." Yugi breathed, breaking the kiss. He couldn't remember how long it had been since he had been touched, and Atem knew exactly what he needed.

Atem nipped at the shell of Yugi's ear and chuckled,

"I won't know what you want unless you tell me, Aibou…" He said, pinching Yugi's pert nipple with his free hand.

Yugi whined and bucked his hips into Atem's hand. He couldn't think straight and his entire body tingled with need.

He felt Atem's hand cup his cheek and the larger male's warm lips on his. He returned the kiss eagerly and nearly yelled with joy as Atem unbuckled the belt binding his wrists.

Atem pulled off the rest of Yugi's clothes and hooked his index finger in Yugi's choker and pulled the smaller male to his knees.

He took off his suit jacket and unbuttoned his vest, throwing the jacket to the floor and sitting on the bottom bunk. He curled his pointer finger toward himself, beckoning Yugi over to his waist.

"Come here, Aibou."

Yugi moved closer to the bunk, feeling cramped in the small space. He looked up at Atem's dark crimson eyes and shuddered.

They were almost glowing in the dark.

Atem's eyes were challenging Yugi to disobey him. His eyes were full of lust, ready to continue.

"Well?" Atem said, moving his pelvis closer to the edge of the bed.

Yugi reached a shaking hand toward the button on Atem's slacks and undid it, pulling on the zipper and shifting his boxers down slightly to release Atem's erection. He placed his hands on either of Atem's thighs and leaned his face forward. He kissed the tip of Atem's weeping member, soliciting a light moan from the ex pharaoh.

He circled his tongue around the head before completely enveloping Atem's member in his mouth, bobbing his head up and down.

Atem moaned and let his head fall back, pushing his hips upward into Yugi's mouth. He tangled his fingers in Yugi's hair and pumped into his mouth faster.

Yugi hummed around Atem's member and squeezed the ex pharaoh's thighs. He pushed Atem's hips down and gave his erection one last languid lick.

Atem let out a low growl and needlessly bucked up into the air. He impatiently took off his tie, vest and dress shirt, throwing the articles of clothing on the floor of the dark room.

Yugi peeled off Atem's slacks and boxers, feeling his own erection drip pitifully onto the carpeted floor. He pulled Atem's bottoms fully off and threw ex royal's legs over his shoulders. He spread Atem's cheeks and unashamedly to licked his puckering hole.

Atem leaned back on his elbows and moaned loudly, closing his eyes and tilting his head back once more. He gasped as Yugi bit on his perineum and circled a finger around his entrance. He yelled and shook as a finger entered him, the finger curving upwards to strike his prostate.

"Aibou...Oh..Gods.." Atem moaned as Yugi added a second finger, scissoring his fingers to stretch and prep Atem.

Yugi pulled his fingers out of Atem, unable to wait any longer.

"Atem…" Yugi mewled, crawling on top of Atem and kissing his soft lips.

"Tell me what you want, Aibou…" Atem whispered, tugging on Yugi's leather collar, choking the smaller male slightly.

Yugi moaned and lined himself up at Atem's entrance,

"You, pharaoh...You're all I've always wanted.." He said, his legs shaking with anticipation.

Atem pulled Yugi closer and kissed him softly,

"Then take me, Aibou, and don't hold back."

Yugi's expression became dark as he slowly pushed himself into Atem, relishing the ex pharaoh's moans. He moved his hips slowly at first, trying not to finish early from the tight heat surrounding him.

He fell forward when Atem tugged on his collar once more, making him place his elbows on either side of Atem's head.

Atem slapped one of Yugi's taute cheeks and smirked when the smaller male groaned in ecstacy.

"I said don't hold back. I know who you really are in bed, Aib-Aaahnn!" He moaned as Yugi began to slam into him in earnest.

He gasped and trembled when Yugi circled his hips as he thrust into Atem.

Yugi's mind was completely blank as he grabbed Atem's throat and squeezed. He applied moderate pressure as he continued thrusting into his doppleganger.

Atem wrapped his legs around Yugi's waist and rested his arms on Yugi's shoulders, all the while enjoying Yugi's fingers around his throat. He gasped as the new angle sent shocks of pleasure throughout his body, his vision going white each time Yugi slammed into him.

Yugi's breathing was becoming more choppy as he was reaching his end. He removed his hand from Atem's throat and slipped it in between their bodies, which were slick with sweat. He wrapped his fingers around Atem's leaking member and pumped it in time with his thrusts. He moaned into Atem's ear when he felt the ex pharaoh tighten and clench around him.

Atem came with a long low howl, his back arching and his legs shaking uncontrollably. He gasped and moaned as Yugi pummeled into him faster, trying to find his release.

"Ahhh, mmmmmnnn, Atem, I'm-Ah!" Yugi's thrust were shortened as he spilled into Atem, his mind completely shutting off and white dots clouding his vision. He slowed his pace as he rode out the last of his orgasm, kissing and biting Atem's neck gently.

Yugi pulled himself out of the exhausted king and collapsed on top of him. His wits started to return as he regained control of his breathing. He grunted as he and Atem adjusted their position so they were laying on the bed vertically.

Atem sighed happily, not caring about the sticky substance oozing out of him. He would deal with it later. Now it was time to rest.

"I didn't realize how long it had been since we had seen each other in person…" Yugi said dreamily.

Atem kept his gaze at the bunk above them. He couldn't help but feel guilty about not keeping in touch with Yugi. He had spent most of his time in America but it wasn't as if he didn't have the money to visit Domino once every couple of months. He would make the trip for business but would never have time to visit the game shop.

"Maybe you could come to Okayama instead? I'm sure Mokuba would be happy to see you again, and Kaiba-"

"Kaiba would have absolutely no reaction to my presence at all. He's only ever been interested in you." Yugi interrupted.

"Is it a bad thing that he was able to tear down his emotional walls?" Atem asked, propping himself up on his elbows.

Yugi shrugged,

"No, it wasn't. Until I found out about you two."

"It's been over for years, Aibou. We've found a good work relationship and Mokuba definitely helps mediate when things get out of hand." Atem sighed, laying back down and turning on his side to get a better look at Yugi.

"It didn't bother me that you two were in a relationship...I just..I thought that you would come back when things ended between you two. It was difficult, you know? Knowing that you and I could have had a chance." Yugi started, sitting up and getting out of the bed.

Atem watched as Yugi picked up his clothes from the floor, laying them out on the top bunk.

"I hoped you'd come back. Come home. But, you chose them over me." Yugi finished, sitting back down on the lower bed.

"They wanted both of us to help Mokuba, Aibou. You said no." Atem reasoned, hoping he didn't completely ruin everything between them by coming on to Yugi so strongly.

"I said no because Grandpa was sick. He was family to you too, even if you weren't related by blood. I'd hoped you'd stay with us in our time of need, but…" Yugi shook his head and sighed.

"But, I guess that's ancient history now...Grandpa is gone and you have your career.." Yugi said gazing at the carpet.

"And you, Aibou?"

Yugi turned to look at Atem and stared deeply into dark crimson orbs. He breathed out through his nose and smiled weakly.

"I have issues." He said jokingly, trying to make light of why he was on this train in the first place.

Atem chuckled and took Yugi's hand in his,

"That's something we all have...I'm glad we ran into each other like this, Aibou. How long will you be in Hamanatsu?"

"For the next couple of days or so. Maybe a full week. I can't be gone long. I had to close the game shop in my absence." Yugi answered, getting up to get dressed.

Atem nodded slowly. Maybe there was a way they could make this work.

"Are you staying in a hotel?" Atem asked nonchalantly, standing up to clean himself off.

Yugi shook his head,

"No, I'm staying in a hostel. It's um, all I can really afford if I want to stay a while." He said, stepping in to his pants and pulling them on.

"Ah, I see." Atem said simply, taking a moist towelette and wiping himself down.

Atem and Yugi continued pleasant conversation in private as time passed, their time together coming to an end as the train approached Yugi's stop.

Atem adjusted the collar of Yugi's shirt as the conductor made the last announcement for passengers leaving the train.

"See you soon, Yugi." Atem said with a small smile.

Yugi let out a light laugh,

"Is it considered soon if it's going to be years, Atem?" He asked, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

Atem smiled innocently and pulled Yugi into a tight hug.

Yugi blushed as he backed away and started to leave the compartment,

"Goodbye, Atem."

"Until I see you again…" Atem responded knowingly.

* * *

A few days passed and Atem was released from his duties in Okayama, free to return home to America early.

He had other plans.

He stood in line at his gate, patiently waiting for the associate to check his boarding pass and identification. As he approached the desk, the small woman across from him smiled.

"Goodmorning, sir. Where are you stopping on this journey?" She asked, taking his board pass and ID card.

"Hamanatsu." He responded.

"Very good, sir. Business or Pleasure?" The woman asked, scanning the pass, and handing it back to Atem.

Atem gave the small woman a dazzling smile,

"Pleasure."

* * *

I'm so sorry that I don't have a story update this weekend but I'm just soooooo overwhelmed.

It's pride weekend where I'm at and the parade looked awesome from my bus ride to my dog sitting job…..

Please enjoy this puzzle shipping one shot I wrote for Zelenkaia for her birthday back in May. I've finally fully edited (please forgive any left over errors as I've had a long day) and proofread the story a full month and a half later, so here it is for your reading pleasure.

Highlight of My Life will hopefully be updated on Monday/Tuesday of this week (having an editor will really help me for this story pls someone help...HAHAHAHA *loses mind*)


	2. Chapter 2

Yugi sighed in disgust as he stared at his small, dingy single bed. It was his fourth night in Hamanatsu and he was ready to go home. He had spent so much time sleeping in that he never took time to see any of the landmarks.

The hostel was dirty and he had to share a room with a young American couple who were not shy about their sexual activity.

He packed his duffle bag and briskly walked past his snoozing hostelmates, quietly shutting the door behind him. He had originally planned to stay in Hamanatsu for a full week but simply couldn't stomach staying in a tiny, gross, room for five thousand yen a night.

Yugi felt like if he was going to spend his time in a tiny room by himself, he might as well be back home in Domino. He went to the teenager at the front desk, trying his hardest not to gag at the smell of cigarettes.

He cleared his throat, "Excuse me. Sorry. I'd like to leave." He said, kicking himself when he realized that he had meant to say "check out". He was so bad at being clear and straightforward.

The black haired teen raised an eyebrow, "Um, then go. No one's forcing you to stay, old man."

Yugi retreated into his anxiety-ridden brain. He didn't think he showed his age. He had thought that he looked too young for being in his mid-thirties.

"Sorry, I meant that I'd like to check out." He corrected, his voice smaller than before.

The teen blinked at Yugi and laughed cruelly, "This isn't a hotel, idiot. You can leave."

Yugi swallowed the lump in his throat and turned away from the desk. This trip wasn't turning into the wind down that Yugi thought it would be. He took a deep breath and began to walk toward the front door.

He kept his gaze on the cement floor as he tried to exit the city's worst rated hostel, barely looking up when he caught a pair of familiar pointed toe brown dress shoes in his vision.

"Aibou!"

Yugi snapped his head up and stopped in his tracks, his heart doing backflips as he looked into deep crimson orbs, "A-Atem?!"

Atem smiled widely, "I'm glad I found you! What luck!" He said, pulling Yugi into a tight hug. He squeezed Yugi tightly, "Is your trip over? It looks like you're leaving!"

Yugi gently shoved Atem away and looked around the lobby of the hostel, turning a dark shade of red when the other guests were gazing at the pair in disgust.

"Um, maybe we should go somewhere else to talk?" Yugi said, hurrying past Atem and outside into the warm night air.

Atem happily followed, not noticing the glares from the guests in the reception area. He walked behind Yugi, not minding the silence between them. He gazed at Yugi's clothes, tattered and worn. They didn't look dirty by any means but they looked...well-loved.

He thought nothing of it, knowing that Yugi had a tendency to hold onto things, regardless of how old they were. After a while of walking aimlessly, they both came to a halt.

Atem blinked at the back of Yugi's head innocently, "Aibou? Are you okay? I didn't mean to frighten you-"

"How did you find me?" Yugi interrupted uncharacteristically, turning around to face Atem. He gazed into Atem's perfectly symmetrical face, studying the ex-king's pale red oxford button up shirt and custom-made tan khaki pants, all the way down to his dark brown dress shoes.

Yugi fumed silently. He chose to overlook it before, but Atem was absolutely dripping with money. Every piece of the former pharaoh's outfit was perfectly chosen and matched with the undertones in his skin and the color of his eyes.

The small amount of gold that Atem was wearing could have paid the game shop's rent for at least ten years. He didn't know how much money Atem had spent on his outfit but he did know that ex-pharaoh looked 'expensive'.

Atem blinked, "Well, you dropped this in my sleeping compartment." He said, taking out a small card with the hostel address on it and handing it to the lavender eyed male.

Yugi stared at the card and sighed, "I thought you had business elsewhere. Why are you here?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest and watching Atem pocket the card.

"I wanted to come see you, Aibou…" Atem trailed off, suddenly feeling incredibly stupid.

Of course.

Of course, Yugi wasn't ready to see him again.

It had been years since they had seen each other when they had met on the train and now, Atem had forced himself into Yugi's life for the second time that week. He couldn't help but feel guilty, upset, and a little bit used.

If Yugi wasn't ready to have Atem back in his life then what was the purpose of the time they shared on the train? Atem had taken Yugi's willingness and eagerness as a sign that the lavender eyed male was ready to have Atem in his life.

If that wasn't the case then…

"_Did Yugi use me?" _Atem thought, kicking his foot at the ground. He didn't want to believe it but...it wouldn't be the first time.

He breathed in slowly through his nose and forced himself to smile, "I'm sorry, Yugi. I didn't mean to impose on your vacation." Atem said, shoving his fists into his pockets and staring down at the sidewalk moodily.

Yugi tongued the inside of his cheek, blinking the tears out of his eyes, "Atem. It was really nice to see you again. It was. But, I'm going through a lot right now and this…" He gestured toward Atem, "Seeing you...after that." he sighed and adjusted the strap on his bag, "I just haven't had time to fully process why I did that and I need...time."

Atem furrowed his brow and tilted his head, "You need time to process why you slept with me?" He asked slowly, coming to the full realization that he had definitely been used.

There was no question.

Yugi nodded and lowered his gaze, "I do miss you, Atem. But-"

"No. I'm sorry, Yugi." Atem interjected, feeling a bubble forming in his throat, "I'm sorry to have bothered you." Atem turned away from Yugi, trying his best to hide his anger and rejection, "It won't happen again." He began to walk away. It had been a while since Atem had felt this hurt.

There was a reason why he had stayed away from Yugi for all these years. He had just forgotten that reason until now.

"Atem, I-" Yugi started, pausing when Atem stopped at the sound of his voice, "I had fun." Was all Yugi could muster.

Atem scoffed and didn't bother to turn around, "Of course, you did, Yugi." He started, "You've always liked games, haven't you?"

With that, Atem hurried off, disappearing into the city as he got further and further away from Yugi.

Yugi stood in the middle of the sidewalk completely frozen, his mouth agape.

"_I've always liked games?! What does that mean?"_ He thought angrily, walking briskly back toward the hostel.

He thought he could stomach going back home early but he needed to stay away from Domino for just as long as he had thought. He confidently strode back into the hostel lobby and marched up to the black haired teen.

"I would like my room back, please. For the rest of my stay. As planned." He said. His confidence wavered as he heard the shrill sound of his voice.

The teen rolled his eyes, "That'll be 15,000 yen."

Yugi's heart dropped into his stomach, "Wh-what?! But I already paid!" He knew it was indecent to make such a scene, but that much money would set him back even further at the end of the month.

The teen shrugged, "You leave your room, you forfeit anything paid upfront. You want a room for three nights, you gotta pay for those three nights."

Yugi got closer to the counter, "But I did pay." He looked at the teen pleadingly.

"Yeah. And then you left." The teen shot back.

Yugi shook his head in disbelief, "I was only gone for a little while!"

The teen scoffed, "Ya still left, fam. Just because you paid doesn't mean you reserve the room. That would mean if you stayed here months ago, you'd expect me to let you back in just because you never got your three extra nights?" the teen crossed his arms defiantly.

Yugi sighed and rubbed at his temples, "Oh my god, it's not extra though. I paid for those nights." It was out of character for Yugi to act in this way but he couldn't afford paying twice, "Is there a manager I could speak to? I'm sure we can sort this out."

The teen chuckled and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, if you pay the 15,000 yen. This isn't a hotel. Either you pay the money or get the fuck out."

Yugi felt his face grow red with anger. He took his phone out of his pocket and checked the time. He had missed the train due to Atem's hijinks, and with the walk to the train station from the hostel, he would have to wait two hours for the next train to Domino.

He would have to deal with walking in the dark and waiting alone.

15,000 yen that he didn't have wasn't worth a dirty bed and roommates that humped like rabbits.

He took a deep breath and sighed, calming himself down, "Thank you for your help." He said, turning around and walking out of the lobby, this time making a mental note to never come back to Hamanatsu.

* * *

Thank you for reading. Please comment, kudo, review.

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	3. Pens in the Company Ink

Atem sighed as he stared blankly at his computer screen, pretending to work. He tapped his fingers against the keyboard to imitate the sound of typing, knowing that nothing was being written out on his document.

"Do you have my report?"

Atem yelped and quickly shut his laptop, "Mokuba!" He cleared his throat and adjusted his bow tie, "I wasn't doing anything-er, I mean, I was working but-"

Mokuba glared at the ex-king and crossed his arms, "Uh-huh." His mature features were serious and judgmental.

"I was!" Atem said, hoping the younger man wouldn't call his bluff.

"If you were working then open your laptop." Mokuba commanded, his deep voice making Atem incredibly nervous. He had grown into a dashing young man but had inherited his older brother's no-nonsense workplace attitude. He saved his fun side for outside of the office.

Too bad he was never outside of the office for anyone to see that side of him.

Atem pursed his lips and stared at his closed company laptop and then back at Mokuba, "You know there's nothing there." He said, defeated.

Mokuba groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb, "Atem, we've talked about this…" He reprimanded, leaning against Atem's desk.

Atem shook his head, "I know, I know. I just can't deal with the bureaucratic bullshit. I'm a special projects guy. I don't do paperwork." He said standing up from his chair, "I'm the closer and smooth talker, I can't do paperwork all day. I need excitement." He explained, gazing up at the statuesque raven haired CEO.

Mokuba gazed at Atem sadly and chuckled, "Excitement? You mean like being hand chosen by Seto Kaiba himself to be the liaison between some of our most important clients on both sides of the hemisphere?" He asked sarcastically.

Atem plopped down into his chair and leaned back, "You know I'm grateful but-"

"But you miss having no responsibility?" Mokuba interrupted with a roll of his eyes.

Atem clicked his tongue and opened his laptop, revealing the blank word document he had been daydreaming at, "I like having responsibility. I _miss_ having a reason to get out of bed everyday." He mumbled, opening his emails. Being social normally helped him cope with his stress and loneliness.

"I'd say your seven figure income would be enough for any person to get out of bed everyday." Mokuba spat, "Your report on Okayama's meeting is two months late. If you were anyone else, you'd be fired." He walked toward the glass doors that enclosed Atem's private office, "Either get it together, or go back to Japan. Seto put a lot on the line when he hired you. God, if Yugi wasn't a walking panic attack-"

"Don't you dare!" Atem growled, trying to keep his voice down, "Aibou's grandfather had just passed, he couldn't take a job across the world. And now, he's...he's.." Atem trailed off, hating the way Mokuba was smirking at him. He knew that Yugi was Mokuba's first choice for Atem's position all those years ago, but Kaiba had overruled the decision.

"He must have rocked your world in that sleeping compartment that Seto paid for..." Mokuba said slowly, "If I find out the reason why you haven't typed up your report was because you didn't pay attention-"

"I was paying attention!" Atem said through gritted teeth.

"Were you? You were able to remember every detail of Yugi's outfit when you told me what happened between the two of you. Yet you can't even type up a page of information on your three days in Okayama?" Mokuba opened the office door, "If that report isn't in my email by this evening, then I'm writing you up myself." He walked out of the office, clearing a path of terrified underlings as he stormed to the elevator.

Atem fumed at his desk, clicking through his emails, _What a fucking prick._ He thought, absentmindedly sending a direct message to Kaiba.

**Tem-Tem: Oy. Are you missing your pole?**

…

…

**Kaiba: My Pole?**

**..**

**Tem-Tem: Yeah the one you keep up your ass? If you are missing it, I think Mokuba took it. **

**..**

**Kaiba: I'm not following. **

**..**

**Kaiba: Oh, I get it now. Is he being stubborn?**

…

**Tem-Tem: Yes! He was my friend up until we got back from Okayama. Now he's awful to me!**

…

**Kaiba: He seemed fine during the trip. Didn't you take a detour through Hamanatsu, though? **

…

**Tem-Tem: Yeah, so?**

…

**Kaiba: Maybe he's upset you ditched him for whatever reason.**

…

**Tem-Tem: Ugh. You aren't going to take me seriously either. **

…

**Kaiba: I can't take you seriously when I know for a FACT that you've gotten no work done today. **

…

**Tem-Tem: Why do I even talk to you?**

…

**Kaiba: Because even though our relationship ended years ago, you know anything you say to me won't leave this conversation. **

…

**Kaiba: And we're friends or something. Tem-Tem:Thank you, Kaiba. I need a vacation. AWAY from the grey eyed dragon. **

…

**Kaiba: Come to Domino.**

Atem's eyes widened as he read the message on his screen multiple times. He couldn't just up and leave, could he?

**Kaiba: Yugi's hosting a small chess tournament at the game shop next week. I'm sure he'd be excited to see you. **

Atem's heart dropped into his stomach at the thought of seeing Yugi again. He was still hurt and upset after his meeting with his lighter half in Hamanatsu. He slowly typed out another message, feeling a little too vulnerable.

**Tem-Tem: I don't know if I should...**

…

**Kaiba: You don't know if you should come to Domino or if you should go to the tournament?**

Atem sighed. He couldn't tell Kaiba what happened. He was shocked that Mokuba hadn't passed the information along to his older brother right after it happened.

**Tem-Tem: Maybe I shouldn't come to Domino. I have this report to finish by tonight and that's going to take up most of my time. **

…

**Kaiba: *eye roll emoji* Just don't turn it in. It's just meeting minutes not your budget for your next special project or marketing campaign. Mokuba can deal with it. I can contact my people in New York and get you on the next jet out of LaGuardia.**

…

**Tem-Tem: THANK YOU! **

…

**Kaiba: You owe me. **

…

**Tem-Tem: Of course! **

Atem shut his laptop and shoved it into his leather messenger bag. He padded his pockets for his phone, keys, and wallet. He had no plan. All he knew was that he was going to get away from Mokuba and his mundane corporate daily life.

At least for a few weeks.

He stealthily left his office and ran down the staircase of the large building. He didn't care if his office was on the tenth floor, he would go to any length to avoid running into Mokuba Kaiba. He sped out onto the lobby floor, walking briskly toward the exit.

"Going somewhere?"

Atem jumped and spun around, "Holy Ra, Mokuba! Do you ever make any noise?!" He asked, startled.

Mokuba glared down at the crimson eyed prince, "Answer me."

Atem gulped and straightened himself up, "Yes. Mr. Kaiba has requested my presence in Domino and that I leave immediately." He explained, as respectfully as possible.

"Oh? And why would he need you?" Mokuba questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Atem shrugged, "I didn't ask why. My boss expressed his needs and I'm going to deliver."

"He's not your boss, I'm your boss." Mokuba corrected, putting his hands on his hips and setting his lips in a tight line, "He can't call you in at a moment's notice."

"I'm sorry, _sir_. But as the owner of the U.S. branch and Kaiba Corp Japan, he _is_ my boss. And, _he _would be the only person who could call me in at a moment's notice and not have me question it." Atem explained further, his tone condescending, "You see what I'm getting at here?"

Mokuba looked around the lobby, causing the onlookers to feign ignorance at the scene in front of them. He scoffed and put on a tight smile, "I see, Atem. Well, I'm so sorry to see you leave the US branch."

Atem furrowed his brow in confusion, _What is he talking about?_

"Yes." Atem said stupidly.

Mokuba nodded, faking his sad tone, "It was so nice having you here, Atem. But, since you insist, I'll have your current projects and position _transferred_ to Kaiba Corp _Japan._" The corners of his lips curled up in a wicked smile, "Since you're needed so badly over there. After all, who am I to question _your _boss?"

Atem's jaw dropped. This was it. This was the closest thing Mokuba could do to firing him. He blinked rapidly and cleared his throat, "Yes, well. He'll send me back once my work is over."

"Oh, but Atem. Everyone here knows, based on your track record for missing deadlines and never turning in paperwork, that your work is _never done_." The hatred dripped from Mokuba's teeth like venom. He walked up to Atem and put a firm hand on the ex-king's shoulder, "Enjoy Japan. I'm sure all of your old friends would _love _to know what you've been up to all these years. Especially Seto."

Mokuba nodded to security and clasped his hands behind his back, "Send Yugi my regards."

Atem blinked, realizing that two large men were slowly pushing him out of the building. He shook himself free, "Mokuba." He said, still in disbelief.

This couldn't be happening. Was this all over a missed report?

He was grabbed by one of the guards and roughly pulled out of the lobby and to the busy manhattan sidewalk, "Mokuba!" He called again, in shock as the guards blocked the double doors.

"Sir. This entrance is for Kaiba Corp. _US_ employees only." The gruff man said.

Atem shook his head and scoffed, "You know he's just throwing a tantrum and I'll be back right?"

"Is that right?" The other guard chuckled, "Are you going to sleep with him for your job too?"

Atem's anger bubbled in his chest, "What did you just say?"

The guards laughed and glared at Atem, "Get out of here or we're calling the cops." they laughed again, "And you're a little too cute to go to jail, aren't you?"

Atem huffed and turned on his heel. This. This was why he needed to leave America.

_Just for a little while… It could be good to get away. _

* * *

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	4. Legal

Atem shifted uncomfortably in the backseat of the company car as Isono drove him from the airport to the Kaiba mansion. He had expected Kaiba to be in the car waiting for him but the tall brunette was nowhere to be found.

He checked his phone for the time and let out an exhausted sigh. It was almost 8am. Normally, Kaiba would be awake by now so Atem found it strange that his ex-boyfriend wouldn't be in the car.

Atem was snapped out of his thoughts when the towncar made a familiar turn onto a private road. He gazed out of the window, watching the alabaster colossus that is the Kaiba Mansion slowly appear in front of the vehicle.

His heart fluttered nervously in his chest as the car came to a halt and Isono stepped out to open Atem's door. He gingerly got out of the car and gave Isono a curt nod, "Thank you."

Isono bowed, "Kaiba-sama is inside and the front door is unlocked. He should be in the kitchen." He said gruffly, "I have errands to run. Good day, Master Ahknankhanen." He said, shutting the passenger door and getting into the driver's side.

Atem took a deep breath as the town car sped off. He walked past the fountain and rolled his eyes when he walked between the Blue Eyes White Dragon statues that were on either side of the small staircase that led up to the double doors.

_Those are new… _Atem thought to himself, opening one of the doors and letting himself inside. He shut and locked the front doors behind him. He gazed around the foyer, feeling out of place in the luxurious home.

_Just keep moving. You used to live here and it never bothered you. _He thought, confidently walking into the kitchen. The home had changed but it still used to be his home. He stopped in his tracks when he saw a young woman calmly making breakfast at the gas stove.

Atem furrowed his brow and gripped the strap on his duffle bag. The young woman was wearing one of Kaiba's dress shirts. Atem growled internally when he realized that she was wearing the dress shirt that Atem had purchased for Kaiba years ago. It was a gift for their anniversary. It was a gift and this girl was wearing it as a trophy.

This was a one night stand. Nothing more.

He cleared his throat and the woman yelped and turned around. He felt bile rise up in his throat when he saw that the woman was Arab, just like him. She had beautiful, long brown curly hair and eyes like amber. The dark blue oversized dress shirt was open and underneath she was wearing a very thin lace bralette and a matching lace panty.

Atem became incredibly confused when he gazed at her face. She was young. Very young.

He knew that Kaiba had taken to using women for casual sex after their break up but they were normally the same age as the blue eyed CEO. Which was, at least in their mid to late thirties.

The woman buttoned the shirt to cover herself and smiled warmly, "Good morning. You must be Atem." She said, her voice was smooth and calm.

Atem glared at the young woman, forgetting his manners, "Who the hell are you?"

The young woman blinked and frowned. She continued to cook as Atem rounded the kitchen island threateningly.

Atem crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes even more, "He won't be happy that you're still hanging around. You should go."

The young woman chuckled and turned off the burner, "I'd say he's ecstatic that I'm around." She said, smirking cheekily at Atem.

Atem scoffed, "I didn't know that he had taken up babysitting. How old are you?" He questioned, watching the young woman take out three plates from a nearby cabinet.

He thought it was strange that the young woman knew where everything was. He wondered how long this has been going on.

"I'm eighteen." She said simply.

Atem's jaw dropped. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself when Kaiba sauntered into the kitchen, shirtless.

Kaiba gave Atem a handsome smile, "I'm glad you made it safely." He walked over to the young woman and wrapped his arm around her waist. He kissed the top of her head, "I see you've met Salem."

Atem was speechless. Was this really happening? He couldn't help but notice the size difference between this strange girl and Kaiba.

"Salem? This...little girl is-" Atem started but caught Kaiba's glare.

Kaiba gazed down at the much smaller woman, "Do you mind giving Atem and I some privacy, Salem?"

Salem raked a slender finger down Kaiba's chiseled abdomen and licked her lips, "Maybe I should just go? I know how much you love my shakshuka. You can have my portion and I'll just see you when I see you…" She pushed away from Kaiba coldly and turned to gaze at Atem, "I'm sorry If my being here has made you uncomfortable, Atem."

Atem's eyes widened as Kaiba pulled the young woman closer. What was this? Was she being purposefully distant?

"You're not going anywhere." Kaiba purred, grabbing the young woman by her hips. He whispered in her ear and she smiled devilishly.

Atem was seething. This woman knew exactly how to manipulate Kaiba.

"Okay, Seto. I'll stay." She said sweetly. She brushed past Atem, disappearing into the manor.

Atem shook his head and glared at Kaiba, "What the fuck is going on, Kaiba. That girl is half your age." He said, not caring that he was lecturing Kaiba and he had only been in Japan for an hour.

Kaiba rolled his eyes, "I missed you too, Atem." He said, plating the breakfast.

"You're unbelievable, Kaiba. She is too young. Y-You don't even like women anyway. You just use them and throw them away. Why would you toy with a teenage girl like that?" Atem slammed his bag down, knowing that he was going to have to find a different place to stay this evening.

"I'm not toying with anyone. She's legally an adult and she's an heiress." Kaiba explained, taking a pitcher out of the fridge with a mysterious dark red liquid inside.

Atem gazed at the liquid and raked his gaze up Kaiba's torso and to his bare chest. He had forgotten how much Kaiba's body affected him. He shook the less than innocent thoughts from his head and glared at Kaiba, "An heiress?"

Kaiba rolled his eyes as he took out two clean wine glasses, "It means she's going to inherit a vast fortune and is the future CEO for her parents company-"

"I know what an heiress is, Kaiba. My question is why are you suddenly interested in one? You already have a vast fortune." Atem argued, disgusted by Kaiba's explanation.

Kaiba poured the liquid into the glasses and smirked, "You sound jealous, Atem. Are you hoping that you and I will get back together?" He teased, pushing a glass toward Atem.

"You doing shit like this is one of the many reasons we broke up. I can't stay here." Atem growled, securing his bag over his shoulder.

He stormed out of the kitchen and into the foyer. He tried his best to calm himself down as he took out his phone. He didn't know where else to go besides…the Game Shop. He knew he very well couldn't show up unexpectedly after his and Yugi's last encounter. It was too early.

"Atem?" He heard a soft voice behind him.

He turned around, his face inches from an incredibly beautiful, smooth brown face. He took a step back from Salem and glared at her, "What? I'm trying to leave."

"You should stay. I'd love to get to know you." She said sweetly, twirling a wet curl in her finger. She had just gotten out of this shower and had dawned an oversized navy blue satin robe. She stepped closer to Atem, fluttering her lashes flirtatiously.

Atem gazed at the young woman before him and sighed, "Listen, he's just going to use you so just do what's best and leave." He didn't want to have to explain the inner workings of a complicated man to a teenager but he would do it if it meant that an innocent person wouldn't get hurt.

She tilted her head and smiled evilly, exposing two rows and perfectly straightened white teeth, "Bold of you to assume he's the one in charge."

Atem felt bile rise in his throat and his chest become tight, "Wh-what did you say?" He stuttered as he gazed at her in confusion. Who exactly was taking advantage of who?

"Did you try the sangria? Seto-sama and I made it a couple days ago, it should be perfect now." She said, sensing that Kaiba had entered the foyer.

Kaiba walked up to the two smaller people before him and raised an eyebrow, "Is everything okay?"

Atem couldn't tell if Kaiba was asking him or if he was asking Salem. He supposed that he looked like more of a threat to the small woman, even though they were both about the same height.

"I'm leaving. I'll meet you at the game shop for the chess tournament later today." Atem grumbled, adjusting the strap of his bag. It was beginning to dig into his shoulder and he just wanted a bath and some food.

"Nonsense." Salem said, grabbing Atem's elbow, sinking her neutral painted nails into his skin.

_Ow! What the fuck! She's strong! _Atem thought in panic, frozen.

"You're exhausted and Isono-san isn't back yet." She slipped Atem's bag off of his shoulder and onto hers, "At least get changed and have some breakfast." She said sweetly, "I'll take this to the guest room."

Before Atem could protest, Salem disappeared up the large staircase. He gazed blankly at the marble tile and then up at Kaiba, "I'll eat and shower but I'm going to stay elsewhere until we can get this whole thing with Mokuba figured out."

Kaiba ran his fingers through his chestnut hair, "You know… things aren't serious between her and I…" He looked into Atem's ruby eyes and sighed, "I want you to be comfortable and if her not coming to the tournament would make you more comfortable... "

Atem narrowed his eyes at his ex-lover, "I don't care what you do. We aren't together anymore." He looked into the direction of the staircase, "Just watch out...something isn't right with her…"

Kaiba rolled his eyes, "Whatever, Atem. Why don't you go to the game shop right now? I'm sure Yugi could use some help setting up. After the tournament, you and I can video chat with Mokuba" He said, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

Atem pursed his lips and glared, "Maybe I will!" He turned on his heel and stormed out of the mansion. The large iron gate opened as he approached it and the reality of his situation hit him like a semi-truck.

Great.

He remembered the way to the game shop from the Kaiba Mansion so proceeded to walk in the direction of Yugi's home. He sighed, not knowing what he was going to say to Yugi when they met. It would have to be something good.

Yeah. He would need the perfect excuse.

'_Shit." _He thought harshly, this encounter was going to be tense.

* * *

Sorry it's been a while! I took a brief hiatus due to a death in my family and needed some time to grieve. I hope you enjoyed reading and as always, comment/review, leave kudos, and leave likes to show your support!

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	5. Accommodations

Yugi yawned dramatically as he scratched his scalp lightly. He'd had trouble sleeping the night before and was in a very sour mood. He knew today was not going to be his day.

He trudged down the stairs and into the small kitchen and his nose wrinkled in disgust as a rotten smell filled his nostrils.

"What the hell is that?" He mumbled to himself. He scanned the counter, which was free of any and all dishes, then he turned to the small fridge in the corner.

Yugi slowly wrapped his fingers around the handle, noticing that it wasn't as cold to the touch as it was normally. He slowly cracked the fridge door open, then he gagged and slammed the door shut.

Fantastic. He had a broken fridge and no money to get it fixed thanks to his brilliant chess tournament. He was so sure the tournament would bring in new customers so he spent his budget for the month on all of the preparations.

He would be in even more debt if he didn't at least break even next week.

Yugi sighed and rummaged around in his pantry, pulling out a brightly colored energy drink. He would have to drink it warm, but it was better than drinking spoiled milk for breakfast. He took his drink to the small family room at the back of the living space and sat on the old, worn, leather couch.

He set the tall can on the small coffee table and took his phone out of his pajama bottoms. He absentmindedly scrolled through his Twitter feed before reaching out for his drink, knocking the very full can over onto the wooden table.

"God fucking dammit!" He growled, hurriedly running into the kitchen to grab a paper towel. He frantically looked around the kitchen, slowly coming to the horrifying realization that he was out of paper towels.

He quickly grabbed the closest dish towel and ran back into the living room to clean up the pooling liquid that had quickly spread across the entire table and had dripped onto the carpet. He moodily cleaned up the mess, making sure to go over the spots with soap and water so the sticky substance didn't attract ants.

Yugi fell back onto the couch and let out a frustrated groan.

_Today sucks absolute butt and it's not even 10am,_ He thought, suddenly realizing he was late opening the game shop.

"Shit!" He jumped up off of the couch and ran upstairs, throwing on the first clothes he could grab from the closet. He rushed downstairs and into the business area, flipping on the lights.

His heart sank when he realized that all of the materials he was going to use for the chess tournament were all over the floor. Unopened boxes, folding tables, and blank signage were strewn about messily in the otherwise clean game shop. He smacked his hand against his forehead, vaguely remembering that last night, he had decided to get up early and organize the mess before opening the shop.

Great.

Yugi looked at the clock on the wall and clicked his tongue. There was no time. He pushed all of the materials into the living area and shut the separating door. At least the store front looked clean. He would have to deal with the real mess later along with the broken fridge.

He performed his opening duties and finally went to unlock the door to flip the sign from 'closed' to 'open'. When he opened the door, he was shocked to meet a pair of dark crimson eyes.

Yugi blinked and took a step back in astonishment. "A-Atem?! What are you-how are you here? Why are you here?" He blurted, not caring if he sounded rude. He was having a rough day and another unannounced visit from Atem was the last thing he needed.

Atem was mid-knock while Yugi questioned him. He lowered his arm and smiled sheepishly. "It's a bit of a long story. Do you mind if I come in?" He asked, knowing he was pushing his luck.

Yugi kept his body firmly between Atem and the entrance to the store. "I'm sure it's not that long of a story. You can tell me from where you're standing," he said coldly. He had thought that he made himself clear the last time Atem showed his face without calling.

Atem winced at Yugi's harsh tone. He hadn't forgotten their last encounter and was hoping he could at least apologize for his behavior. But, it seemed his Aibou wasn't ready to hear an apology.

_I shouldn't apologize anyway. Aibou's the one who used me! _He exclaimed to himself, staring at Yugi's soft and hardened gaze.

Atem sighed and smiled warmly at Yugi. "Sorry to disturb you so early in the morning, Yugi. I've just found myself in a bit of a tough situation that's left me without accommodations for this evening," he explained carefully.

Yugi raised an eyebrow. "Accommodations? You mean a place to stay the night?" He asked. He knew what Atem was trying to ask of him but it was out of the question. He wasn't used to telling people, most of all Atem, the word 'no' but now was the time to stand his ground.

Atem nodded sheepishly. "You see, Kaiba has this girl staying with him and, well, I don't exactly feel comfortable staying in the mansion with her there," he explained.

Yugi bit back a scoff. "Isn't the mansion gigantic? So gigantic, that you wouldn't even have to speak to Kaiba if you didn't want to?"

Atem pursed his lips and cleared his throat. "I shouldn't have come here," he said without thinking.

"You're right. You shouldn't have." Yugi retorted quickly. It was too early for this nonsense.

Atem swallowed the lump in his throat and blinked rapidly to keep tears from forming. _When did Yugi become so...mean? _

"I hope your tournament goes well today. Again, sorry to bother you." Atem said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Yugi furrowed his brow. "The chess tournament? That's not until next week."

Atem became even more confused. He was beginning to think that Kaiba was trying to start drama but even then, how could the CEO know of the tension between himself and Yugi?

Yugi sighed impatiently. "It would really be best if you left. I have to open the shop and I really can't handle having you here right now," he explained, proud of himself for having spoken his mind.

Atem nodded, glaring down at the cement. "Sorry to show up again. I didn't mean to inconvenience you, Yugi."

Yugi hurriedly flipped the sign on the door. "Yeah," he responded half-heartedly. He knew that if Atem had cared about his feelings, he wouldn't have shown up out of the blue. This situation proved to Yugi that Atem hadn't changed a bit.

Atem turned away from the door and walked away, butthurt. He didn't like the idea of walking back to the Kaiba mansion with his tail between his legs, but he had nowhere else to go.

Yugi slammed the door shut once he got back inside, leaning against the door for support. He covered his face with his hands and slid down to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

He felt as if he did what was right for himself in the moment, but why did he feel so awful now that Atem was gone?

Yugi stood up slowly and quickly wiped the tears away from his face. He couldn't think about that now. He had a business to run. It was a small business but it was his and all that he had to his name. He couldn't let his personal drama interfere with his job.

_I have to be strong, _he thought, walking around the counter and waiting at his post for the first customer even though, deep down, he knew there most likely wouldn't be any customers today.

His shop was failing and it was all his fault. But, he knew in order to fix it, he had to stay focused.

_Atem is a distraction. He can find his own 'accommodations'. Yeah, he'll be fine. I'll be fine…_

_...I'll be fine…_

* * *

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Editor: prettiugli


	6. Special Project

Atem turned onto his side with a heavy sigh. He couldn't get comfortable and he couldn't seem to fall asleep. He couldn't get the thought of Yugi's attitude out of his head. He knew it had been days since he had been kicked off of Yugi's doorstep but something about the way Yugi spoke to him drove Atem to tears.

He grumbled and sat up, looking at the digital clock on the nightstand. 1AM. He clicked his tongue in frustration. He figured tossing and turning wouldn't do him any good, so he hopped out of bed and made his way to the large kitchen downstairs.

As he approached the spacious island, he heard voices coming from a different part of the mansion. Quietly, he left the kitchen and tiptoed up to a tall wooden door, pressing his ear against the wood, hoping to make out some of the conversation.

"You can't transfer Atem just because he's difficult, Mokuba." Kaiba's voice was firm and demanding. "You'll need to apologize to Atem in front of your employees. From the way he tells it, you made it look like he was sleeping his way up the corporate ladder," he said with a light chuckle.

Atem's eyes widened and he listened closer. Maybe he wouldn't be stuck in Japan after all.

"_I made it look that way? I'm sorry did you two not date for like several years? How many times did you ask him to marry you again?" _Mokuba asked, his voice was full of static and muffled through the video chat.

Atem gritted his teeth. There were many reasons for him saying no to Kaiba's proposal. The main reason being that Kaiba was an impulsive asshole.

Kaiba sighed loudly. "Why are you mad about that? You never had an issue with Atem until about two months ago. What changed?"

"_Seto, I just feel like we've given Atem so much. The least he could do is his job, don't you think?" _Mokuba asked, his voice much softer than it was initially.

"I understand, Mokuba. But, if you want him to behave like a normal employee, you have to treat him like one. If you had done what you did to someone who wasn't Atem, we would have a lawsuit on our hands," the older Kaiba brother explained gently.

Mokuba clicked his tongue loudly and sighed. "_I know that but I won't have him back here until he learns to follow protocol. He's always talking about wanting to do special projects. If he can complete a special project through your branch and follow procedure, I'll let him come back to the US," _he negotiated carefully.

His heart beat loudly in his chest through the sudden silence in the office. He knew he could handle anything Kaiba threw at him but he didn't know if he could handle the added pressure of his job being on the line.

Kaiba chuckled dreamily. "Alright, Mokuba. You have yourself a deal. I've had a project in mind for a while now and I think Atem is the right person for the job."

"_Good. Just email me what you have in mind. I've gotta go. My lunch is here," _with that, the call ended.

Atem stood up and slowly backed away from the door and into the kitchen.

"Eavesdropping?" Salem said from behind him.

Atem yelped and turned to face the young woman. "Shh! I wasn't! W-what are you even doing here?" Atem questioned, trying to keep his spying out of the topic of discussion.

Salem grinned wickedly and leaned against the island. "I live here," she said with a simple shrug of her shoulders.

Atem blinked at her stupidly as he tried to process her words. "You don't. Kaiba would never-"

"Calm down, Tem-Tem. It's only while I'm in Japan. Think of it as a 'waifu test run.'" Salem explained, stretching and yawning dramatically.

"So, what, if Kaiba thinks you'd make a good wife, you get...married?!" Atem yelled, stepping closer to the smirking teenager.

"Atem, what's gotten into you?!" Kaiba growled, running into the kitchen and separating the two smaller humans with his own body.

Kaiba glared at Atem before turning to Salem and tenderly tucking a loose tendril of hair behind her ear. "Are you alright?" He asked softly, gingerly taking her hand in his and kissing her soft knuckles.

Salem gazed up at Kaiba innocently and nodded sheepishly, smiling warmly and staring at Kaiba with the softest, kindest eyes Atem had ever seen. "I'm fine, habibi. I woke up and you were gone, so I came down stairs to look for you," she murmured sweetly.

Atem narrowed his eyes. _There's no way Kaiba's wrapped around this girl's finger, _he mused, scowling at the back of Kaiba's head.

Kaiba kissed the tip of Salem's nose. "Wait for me upstairs, please. I won't be long," he shooed Salem out of the kitchen and waited until she was out of ear shot before speaking again.

He glowered at Atem. "If you're going to stay in my house, stop antagonizing my-"

"Your prey? Because she's a child. That makes you a predator Kaiba," Atem retorted gruffly. He'd had enough of being scolded by everyone around him.

Kaiba rolled his eyes and tossed his bangs out of his eyes. "She's a legal adult. That's the last time we're going to talk about that," he barked, going into the fridge and pulling out a bottle of sparkling water.

"Whatever, Kaiba." Atem mumbled, watching the blue-eyed CEO unscrew the cap and guzzle down half of the clear liquid.

Kaiba set the glass bottle down on the island with a small thud and sighed in satisfaction. "I spoke to Mokuba," he stated nonchalantly.

"Oh?" Atem said, pretending that he didn't just hear Kaiba's private conversation. "And, what did he say?"

Kaiba wiped the condensation off of the bottle absentmindedly. "He'll have you back at the US branch after you successfully complete a project for my branch," he explained.

Atem smirked at Kaiba cheekily. "A _special _project? You mean like the kind of projects I was supposed to do but then Mokuba changed my job description?" He asked, playfully putting his hands on his cheeks, feigning surprise.

"Don't push your luck, Atem. This is your last chance. I can't stick up for you anymore," Kaiba said, gazing in the direction of the staircase. "I'm trying to move on and I can't do that with you always needing favors from me," he finished, crossing his arms.

Atem mimicked Kaiba's body language. "I wouldn't need favors if your brother knew how to treat me, but fine. What did you have in mind for my _special project?_" He wouldn't be thrown by Kaiba's attitude. He was a hard worker and there was nothing Kaiba could say that would make him unsure of his abilities.

Kaiba licked his lips and smiled smugly. "I've been meaning to acquire a piece of property for a while now. You'd be the correspondence between the current owner and me while we sort out a price."

Atem scoffed and puffed out his chest. "Is that it? In the US, I'm known as 'the closer'. I can close any deal, any sale, and I can sweet talk anyone into signing a contract. Who's the owner and what's the building called?" he asked, his confidence soaring.

Kaiba put a hand on his hip and jeered. "Mutou Yugi of the Kame Game Shop."

Atem's heart sunk into the pit of his stomach and his jaw dropped. He was in disbelief. Kaiba wanted to buy the game shop?

Kaiba yawned. "Can't wait to see you work your magic Mr. Closer," he said, walking out of the kitchen and disappearing up the stairs.

Atem glared down at the bottle of sparkling water and cursed under his breath.

"Fuck," he growled furiously.

_I'm going to lose my fucking job. _

* * *

OOF. Drama!

Thank you for reading. Please leave comments/review, kudos, and share so I know that you enjoy it!

Editor: prettiugli


	7. KC Representative

KC Representative

Yugi sighed in frustration as he glared at his grandfather's old tool kit. He had no idea how to use any of the tools or what any of their uses were. He scratched his head and looked at the floor of the game shop. It was completely covered in unassembled tables, chairs, and glass cases.

He didn't consider himself a handy person, so he didn't know what went through his mind when he decided not to pay extra for professional assembly.

_I'm broke, that's what went through my mind, _he thought with a long sigh.

He rolled his eyes when he felt his phone buzz repeatedly in his pocket. Taking out his phone, answered the call moodily.

"Yes?" He grumbled, taking his seat on the floor in the middle of the mess of furniture.

"_You were supposed to send me a picture of the set up last night, Yugi,"_ Kaiba's voice on the other line was demanding.

"I stayed open late last night at your request, Kaiba. We had a lot of last minute registrations. I have limited space so I very well can't have furniture everywhere while there are customers in the store." Yugi explained through clenched teeth, making his anger more than apparent.

"_You told Mokuba that you received the furniture last week and that's why you were too busy to return his phone call. Are you telling me between last week and today, which is the day of the tournament, you've made no attempt to set up?" _Kaiba matched Yugi's tone, fed up with the former duelist's attitude and lack of planning.

Yugi sighed and rubbed his temple with his free hand. "Listen Kaiba, I'm by myself over here. I promise you that everything will be set up before this evening—"

"_Oh, it will. I've just sent a Kaiba Corp Representative to the game shop to help you finish everything." _Kaiba interrupted, sick of Yugi's irresponsibility.

"There's no need, Kaiba. I can do it myself!" Yugi retorted bluntly. The last thing he needed was to see Atem again.

"_If that were true, it would have been done by now. And also, make sure you actually let her inside. Atem said he went over to help you last week and you told him to leave." _Kaiba said, becoming impatient and bored of the phone call.

Yugi's heart leapt out of his chest. "Oh, he told you that?" He asked slowly. "What else did he tell you?"

Kaiba clicked his teeth. "_That's all he said. Is there something I should know?" _He asked, suddenly suspicious of the true nature of Yugi and Atem's current friendship.

"No." Yugi clipped, hanging up before he could even think about how shady his answer was.

He threw his phone to the other side of the room and groaned, ruffling his already messy hair. _At least he isn't sending Atem…_ he thought, thankful that he wouldn't have to explain himself just yet.

He hadn't stopped thinking about how awful he was to the ex-pharaoh when he had stopped by last week. It wasn't like Yugi to be rude and defensive but lately he'd felt like no one understood him.

Yugi jumped when he heard a knock at the door. He stood up and trudged over to the store entrance.

_There's no way the company rep is already here, is there? _He mused, looking through the closed blinds and seeing a very beautiful young woman waiting patiently outside the door. Sighing, he unlocked it, getting ready to tell the teenager to come back during store hours.

"Hi there, um, we're closed right now. Come back at-"

The young woman interrupted him with a light chuckle. Her wild, triple-helix curled hair was stunning as she smiled and bowed respectfully, giving him an eyeful of her cleavage.

"Good Morning, Mutou-san. My name is Salem. I'm the representative sent by Kaiba Corp." She said confidently, straightening up and adjusting her white skin tight dress.

Yugi stared at her, dumbfounded. This little girl was the representative? There was no way. He snapped out of his thoughts and gazed at her apologetically. "I'm sorry to press the issue, but do you have a business card?" He hated asking for proof but he couldn't be too careful.

He knew how it would look, having an underage girl come into the game shop before store hours. He was already in debt, he didn't want to be in jail too.

Salem smiled and wordlessly unclasped a matching white clutch to fish out a very familiar blue and white business card. She held the card in between her index and middle finger, holding it out for Yugi.

Yugi studied her skilled fingers and perfectly manicured nails, immediately feeling hatred and jealousy. How did this _child _get a job at one of the most prestigious companies in Japan? He managed to maintain a friendly expression as he took the card and read over it:

_Salem Wolf_

_Temporary KC Representative and Personal Confidante of Mr. Seto Kaiba_

He furrowed his brow in confusion as he tried to make heads or tails of Salem's strange title. Temporary? Personal confidante? What did this mean?

"Temporary?" Was all he could say, stupidly staring at Salem's calm face.

Salem nodded and placed her clutch under her arm. "I'm only here to help with the chess tournament. Kaiba-sama thought I was the right person for the job as I'm within the same age range as the competitors," she explained, looking around Yugi and into the disaster area that was the game shop.

"I see I've got my work cut out for me," she mocked playfully. "May I come in now? I'd like to get started," her voice was smooth and comforting.

Yugi sighed and gestured for her to step inside. He closed and locked the door behind her, catching himself starting at her taute figure. He slapped himself mentally and felt even worse when he spoke his next words.

"So, how old are you?" He blurted out, wanting to drop dead from his own forwardness.

Salem tucked a silky tendril behind her ear and lowered herself to the ground to take on the first glass cabinet. She set her clutch on the register counter and sat with her knees together, knowingly opening the tool kit and expertly choosing the correct tools for the job.

Yugi awkwardly walked over to Salem and sat across from her, gazing at her small waist and large bust. He realized that sure, she had the body of a grown woman, but her face gave away her age immediately.

His heart skipped several beats when he got caught in Salem's amber gaze.

Oh no. How long had he been blatantly starting?

"See something you like?" Salem asked casually, tightening the first screw on the glass case.

Yugi shook his head violently, completely embarrassed. He scratched the back of his head and lowered his gaze to his pants. His cheeks reddened and his ears became incredibly hot.

Standing up and bowing rapidly, he exclaimed,"I'm so sorry! Oh my goodness! I need to change!" Realizing he was still in his pajamas, he darted out of the shop area and up the stairs, leaving Salem downstairs with the mess.

Yugi showered quickly, making sure to put on deodorant and to brush his teeth. He got dressed in a pair and light colored jeans, a lavender button down shirt, and a dark purple vest. He glared at himself in the mirror as he styled his hair.

_Hopefully I don't embarrass myself this evening. I need to look like some semblance of an adult, _he reprimanded himself. He had just met the girl, but he had already shown that he can't meet deadlines, he isn't handy, and is a bad host.

Host.

Yugi kicked himself mentallly, realized that he'd left a guest in his home alone without any tea or even water. He ran back downstairs to the shop, his jaw dropping at the clear floor and completely organized space.

"H-How? I was only gone for-"

"Fifteen minutes," Salem interrupted, dabbing a small patch of sweat from her brow with a small pink handkerchief.

Yugi gazed at Salem and at the beautifully displayed prizes and tables. He stepped further into the space and saw that the curly-haired teen had even wiped down every piece of furniture and even took the extra time to set out each chess set.

He crossed his arms over his waist, hugging himself to make himself feel better. He's never felt more insecure and emasculated in his entire life. And, it was his own fault.

"I'm sorry to ask, but may I have a glass of water?" Salem bowed courteously, and straightened herself up when she heard Yugi fumbling around in the kitchen.

Yugi sighed sadly. Not wanting to give his guest tap water, he opted for a room temperature bottle of water from the pantry. He turned to walk back into the shop area, yelping when he met with Salem's big, bright eyes.

He set his lips in a tight line and handed her the water. _What makes her think she can just walk back into my home like this? _He asked himself, becoming more furious at Salem's reaction to the warm water bottle.

Salem smiled genuinely. "Is something wrong?" She asked, twisting off the cap and taking a small sip.

Yugi glared at the floor, not caring how he looked when he said, "Sorry it's not whatever kind of sparkling water you're used to. My fridge is broken."

Salem blinked at Yugi in confusion. "What does my water preference have to do with your fridge being broken? I asked for some water and you gave me some. I don't see the issue," she said maturely.

Yugi squeezed his arm in anger. Why did he feel this way? He felt like he was somehow being disrespected or scolded in his own home.

Salem looked at Yugi and then at the fridge. "You know, I could fix your fridge for you. You don't have air conditioning so it may be a good idea to have cold beverages for the competitors," she explained, her voice was soft and understanding.

Yugi pursed his lips and forced a smile. "Thank you. That would be great," he said through clenched teeth. It's not like he had much of a choice.

Salem smiled and took out her phone. "While I fix your fridge, send me the registration list. I want to double check the numbers since you didn't send those to Kaiba-sama either," she commanded, turning on the kitchen light and opening the door to the fridge.

Yugi was fuming. This little girl had no respect for him whatsoever. He acquiesced and air dropped the documents to her phone.

"Thank you, Mutou-san." She studied the list on her phone while simultaneously fiddling with the now torn apart fridge.

Yugi furrowed his brow. _When the hell did she take that apart?_ He thought, watching her face go from calm to cold.

"Mutou-san, you can't fit this many people in here. It's a safety hazard," Salem said, ceasing her infernal tinkering.

Yugi put his hand on his hips and glared down at her. "That's how many people entered. I couldn't turn them down," he protested firmly.

Salem shook her head. "Yes, you could. I understand you need that many people to make profit, but if you violate safety standards, you could be faced with a fine and even get Kaiba Corp involved in a lawsuit since they've openly partnered on this project," she explained, standing up from her knelt position.

Yugi rolled his eyes and crossed his arms defensively. "And what would you know about any of that? You're a child," he spat, closing the distance between them.

Salem gazed into Yugi's lavender orbs and smirked cheekily. "That didn't stop you from eye fucking me, did it? You men, all the same," she said, grabbing the collar of Yugi's shirt roughly.

"Let me tell you something, Mutou-san," Salem said, pulling Yugi even closer, "I'm not your enemy. I want to help you. If you'll let me," she whispered into Yugi's ear, earning an anxious shiver from the ex-duelist.

Yugi's eyes widened as Salem pulled away, the floral scent of her conditioner lingering on his clothes. He stared at Salem seriously, seeing that the young woman was genuine, he lowered his guard.

He sighed and leaned against the kitchen counter. He rubbed his temples slowly, regretting his agreement to this project. "Do whatever you need to do to make things run smoothly. I just—I just—" he covered his mouth when he let out a pathetic sob.

Oh no.

He was crying. From stress.

Yugi paused when he felt a warm hand on his arm. He turned to look at Salem who was smiling in understanding.

"I know Kaiba-sama is not the easiest to work with, but I'm here to help you, Yugi-san," she said, resuming the emergency surgery on Yugi's wrecked fridge.

Yugi gazed up at the ceiling and chuckled. "I need so much help," he sniffled, the tears in his eyes making it more difficult to see.

"You know, I'm not officially employed through Kaiba corp. I just happened to be Kaiba-sama's most competent friend right now so I do him small favors here and there," she explained, putting Yugi's fridge back together and plugging it in.

Salem opened the fridge door and cheered happily when the light came on and cold air flowed outward. "Success!" She hummed brightly and turned her attention to Yugi's confused, tear-stained face.

Yugi sniffled and laughed. "I'm a grown man and I should know how to fix things...but I don't," he mumbled, shaking his head in disgust at himself.

Salem took one of Yugi's hands in both of hers. "Yugi-san, not everyone knows how to fix a fridge. Not everyone is the King of Games, either. We're all different," she started, pulling Yugi back out into the shop area.

"To answer your earlier question, I'm eighteen. And, I've been great at fixing things since I was very small," she finished, leaning against one of the freshly set up tables.

Yugi crossed his arms over his waist to calm himself down. "You're so great at this that you caught Kaiba's attention," he said, vaguely remembering that Atem said something about a 'girl' staying at Kaiba house.

"What exactly is your relationship with Kaiba?" He asked, slowly realizing Atem's situation. Yugi slapped himself mentally, hoping that Atem ended up in a warm room away from Kaiba's toxic behavior.

"Hmm. Well, I guess by traditional standards, I would be his intended," she explained walking over to the checkout counter and rummaging around in her clutch purse.

Yugi's throat closed and the floor dipped in front of him. What did she say? Salem's Kaiba's _intended_? For marriage?

"U-um, I'm sorry to keep prying but I have to know. I mean, you're such a sweet girl—uh—young lady. How did you get involved—"

"He contacted me about a year ago. He praised my achievements and my IQ. How could he not, my parents are important people and they bragged about me at every party, every meeting...hah…" her eyes softened as she took out her phone, seeing a new text message from Kaiba.

Yugi's stomach churned in disgust. _A year ago. Salem's eighteen. It's not any better but maybe she's about to turn a year older. Kaiba-kun can't be that depraved! _He convinced himself, not realizing his hands were shaking as he adjusted his shirt.

"Oh, a year ago?" Yugi questioned, not knowing how to ask if she was of age back then.

Salem nodded absentmindedly, focusing on her response to her "boyfriend". "Yes, it was actually around this time last year. I remember because it was a couple of months after my seventeenth birthday and the goofball made a big deal about missing out on such a milestone," she put her phone back in her purse and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

Yugi's knees felt weak and his head was throbbing. He couldn't believe this! Kaiba was dating and intending to marry a woman—a girl that was half his age. And, Atem. He knew this whole time and stayed silent?

He cleared his throat in an attempt to hide his disappointment and smiled weakly at Salem. "You know, with everything set up like this, I'm just now realizing how boring it looks in here," he started, feigning his sudden interest in the game shop's lack of decor.

Salem tilted her head but then returned Yugi's smile. "I wasn't going to say anything but I do agree. If you'll let me, I'd love to go pick up some things to make the space more lively?" She asked, bowing respectfully.

Yugi nodded. "There are some posters and a banner I can put up while you're out. Thank you so much for your help, Wolf-san," he hoped his acting wasn't too over the top but he needed her out of the game shop for a little while.

He had a bone to pick with a certain former King.

Salem blushed and headed toward the front door, slipping her designer red-bottom pumps onto her feet. "I'll be back soon," she put her hand on the door knob and turned to Yugi one last time, "You know, when you relax a little, you're actually quite pleasant to be around," with that she left, closing the door softly behind her.

Yugi glared at the door and took out his phone. _When I relax? What the hell is that supposed to mean? _He fumed, opening his line app and tapping on Atem's name.

Atem groaned and turned over onto his side, wondering who could be messaging him so early in the morning. He sleepily palmed around the bed for his phone, sitting up slowly to read the message.

He blinked the exhaustion out of his eyes and his heart did backflips in his chest. It was a message from Yugi!

_Aibou! Maybe he wants to apologize for last week?! _He thought excitedly reading the message.

**Aibouuu: Hi.**

…

…

**Aibouuu: Are you coming to the chess tournament this evening?**

Atem studied the message carefully. He wondered if maybe someone got a hold of Yugi's phone and was playing a prank. He knew Yugi to be a more friendly communicator.

_I guess he hasn't been too friendly recently…_ He mused, remembering that he and Yugi were currently in some sort of disagreement.

He carefully formed his reply:

**Atem: Aibou! I'm really happy to hear from you! **

…

**Atem: I know you probably don't want me invading your space, but it is my job to be there this evening. **

Atem sighed and leaned back against his headboard, gazing up at the ceiling in thought. He just wanted his friendship with Yugi to go back to normal. He didn't think sharing that intimate experience would ruin their current relationship.

_The sex isn't what ruined it, Yugi using me and refusing to take responsibility and apologize is what ruined it. _Atem reminisced angrily.

He couldn't understand why Yugi was pushing him away. He couldn't think of anything that he's done that would make Yugi so...mean.

Atem snapped back to his phone when it buzzed violently.

**Aibouuu: Actually, I'm glad that you'll be here this evening. **

**Atem's eyes widened and his heart thudded loudly in his chest. Was this real? **

…

**Aibouuu: Would actually mind staying after the tournament is over?**

…

**Aibouuu: After everyone is gone? There's something I want to talk to you about. **

Atem was practically jumping on his bed with joy. _Aibou wants to resolve things! _He excitedly hopped out of bed, responding to Yugi's message quickly.

**Atem: I don't mind at all! **

…

**..**

**Atem: I'll stay as long as you want, Aibou.**

**..**

…

**Aibouuu: K. **

…

**Aibouuu: See you tonight. **

Atem cheered loudly, not caring that he was dancing around in his underwear like a teenage girl. He was ecstatic. Things were finally going well! He sighed happily and gazed around his newly, hastily rented luxury apartment.

He started to clean up around his room and the common areas. _Maybe Aibou will want to come see my place after. I don't want to look sloppy! _He thought, running back into his bedroom and plopping down on the firm mattress.

"My situation is finally looking up."

* * *

Thank you for reading! This was a longer chapter so I hope you enjoyed it!

Edited by: prettiugli


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